Adjustable vehicle tongue



3 Shee'ts-Sheet l Filed Aug. 3l, 1951 Dec. 2l, 1954 u. F. LUEBBENADJUSTABLE VEHICLE ToNGUE 'o' Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1951INVENTOR. BY UMMo fr. LuEEN Dec. 2l, 1954 u. F. LUEBBEN ADJUSTABLEVEHICLE TONGUE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi1ed Aug. 31, 1951 l INVENTOR UMA/ IOF. LUEBBE/V BY f5/WW United States Patent O ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE TONGUEUmmo F. Luebben, Omahzn'Nebxu Application August 31, 1'951, Serial No.'244,569

2 Claims. (Cl. .2M-462) This invention relates to rotary balers -of thetype de scribed in my previous patents issued to U. F. Luebben, bothtitled Rotary Baler, Nos. 2,336,491, issued December 6, 1943, and2,096,990, issued yOctober 26, 1937.

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements upon thetowing `tongue now being used on `this type `of machinery.

Balers of this type trail to one side ofthe 'tractor when in operationand must -trail more -directly behind the ltractor for highway travel.At present, lto adjust the position of the baler with -respect to thetractor, it is necessary for an operator to climb down from his tractorand pull out pins, then manually and laboriously swing the machine tothe new position.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an adjustable tonguefor a rotary Abaler which will -make it possible for the operator tomake the above-described adjustment, without having to Yleave the seatof his tractor, by utilizing the power of the tractor without 4manuallabor.

Another object of the invention yis to provide a tongue which can beadjusted to more than two different positions so that the position ofthe baler vcan be adjusted for the widths of tractors of differentsizes, thus eliminating the necessity of having the baler .farther tothe :side than is necessary with a smaller tractor.

A further object is to have the baler position withregard to the tractorand windrow adjustable as -described for proper central feeding of themachine.

Yet a further object is .to provide a tongue 'assembly in whichadjustable members are telescopically disposed one within another ratherthan being pivotally connected, thus providing greater strength.

Still another object of the invention is to ,provide Van improvedlock-pin assembly lin which the use vof chains is eliminated, thelock-pin being in an easily reachable position.

Still other objects are to provide an easily adjustable tongue assemblyof greatly reduced weight, of reduced cost, of greatly .simpliiiedconstruction, of greater rigidity,

and with greater adjustability.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for thepurpose described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliableand eicient in opera-tion, `and relatively simple and inexpensive .tomanufacture, .assemble and utilize.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of 4t-he adjustable `tongue'oflthis invention. Aportion of a baling machine and various positions ofthe tong-ue :are.shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation View .of the adjustable tongue of thisinvention. A portion -of 'a baling machine frame is -shown in dottedlines.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation view of ithe telescoping portionof the tongue of this invention, portions of the baling machine and oneposition of a locking pin being shown 'in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and first to Figure 1, theadjustable tongue of this invention generally includes a normallyhorizontal elongated rigid longitudinal tongue portion 10, a normallyhorizontal telescoping portion 12 and a later described upwardlyextending brace portion 13.

The rearward ends of the rigid portion and the telescoping portion 12are laterally spaced apart, and each ice 2 gare-.pivotally disposed.about bolts .20 Ifor'ro'tationtinathorizontal plane.

Each of :the bolts 20 yare vertically disposed through apertures 22, thelatter being :disposed through vthe forwardly extending ends 24 of ahinge bracket 26.

The :brackets 26 are preferably of strap metal and areweldedforotherwise secured .around the outside of a transverselydisposed normally horizontal axle 28 of `the baling machine 3i).

.As best seen in .Figure 1 'the baling .machine 30 :has a generallyrectangular frame 32, the latter being disposed rearwardly yfrom theaxle .28, .and at least two laterally yspaced apart 'wheels 34, :one ofwhich latter is .rotatably mounted on each end of the ;axle 28. 'One end40 of the rde 2.3 extends outwardly -from the side of the frame 32.

The bracket 26, upon 'which the rigid portion 1l) is mounted, isdisposed on :the end 40 ofthe axle 28 and adjacent .to lthe inner sidelof the wheel 34. The bracket 26, uponwhich the ttelescoping portion ismounted, Pis d-isposed adjacent to the-center'of Ithe length of theaxle'23.

As best .seen from the side in .'Figure 2 the :rigid portion 1.0 is:rectangularl-y shaped. A pairofstlat sheetrnetal brackets :are securedone `each to the top 4and 4bottom surfaces of the extreme forward end ofthe rigid portion 10, and-extend to=one :side thereof.

.A tongue extension 52 is .secured :to the 4forward end `Vof the.longitudinal `portion .10, having a portion 'of its bottomsurf/acesecured against :the upper surface fof the upper one of the bracketsv5t), by bolts 54. The extension 52 .may be described as beingrectangular as would be seen from the plan view, and 'has an upwardlyextending offset portion 56 adjacent the center thereof and a forwardlyextending horizontal l.portion '58.

The Vextension 52 `ih-as a vertically disposed .aperture 60 Athrough theIforward end thereof to receive =a bol-t 62. rfiile crtension 52 issecured :to attractor drawbar v64 bythe As lbestfseen fin Figure .3 thetelescoping portion :l2-com- ;prises :a :sleeve X70, the latter being.rectangular in shape as will be seen tfrorn the :left hand end. @Anelongatedrectangular shaped forward member .72 .ha-ving aplurality ofvertically disposed apertures .74 therethrough is ltelescopilcallydisposed fin the `forward end of the sleeve 70. The member 72 .has yetanother vertically #disposed aperture "'76 at the front end thereof,ywhich latter -is Apivotally disposed :about a bolt .80, .and Vbetweenthe laterally extending por- .tionsof the brackets '50.

The sleeve `7 0 is provided with -a vertically/disposed eapertur-e 8.6through both the Vupper and lower `walls thereof. A vertically:extending hollow :pipe -88 rwhich latter is oblong `in shape, as willbe seen 'from the plan view, Ihas its bottom :end welded or otherwisesecured to the upper .surface ofthe member vin such a manner that the`forward `end -of :its .hollow interior Yis an faxial alignment with theaperture 86.

The invention -fur-ther provides a locking pin 9.0, which .latter ispreferably made from a steel -rod 'having one lower pointed end 92 andone upper end 94 bent into a ycircular shape leaving `an aperture 96therethrough so that .it may .be 4easily .grasped .by -the 'operator andremoved.

The pin is shown Vin full lines in the adjusting position where thelower pointed end 92 'is disposed slightly 4to the rear of :the aperture86, and the body'of the pin 90 is leanying against Lthe -forward portionof the interior :surface of the r.pipe 88. The pin 90 is shown indot-ted lines in 'fthe position that it assumes when it engages theapertures 86 :and fa selected one-of the apertures 74 at'such times asthe telescoping action lof vthe :member 72 'brings the aperture 74 intoaxial alignment Iwith the aperture 86.

As is best seen in Figure 1J the tongue extension 52 `at the forward endof the members and 1-2 may be locked in any .selected `one of thepositions lili), 1102, .104 and 106.

The positions lili), 102 and 104 are for towing the machine 30 duringthe baling operation. The position 196 is for towing the machine 30during road travel.

The baling machine 30 is provided with a forwardly and downwardlyinclined pick-up conveyor of the number 11G which latter is trapezoidalin outline as seen from the plan view.

The rear or small end 112 of the conveyor is pivotally mounted on theforward portion of the baler frame 32 and directly above the rearwardend of the telescoping member 12.

The lower forward or wide end 114 of the conveyor is adapted to followalong the surface of the ground during baling operations, and to rest onthe upper surface of the forward end of the member 12 when the tongue isinthe position 106.

In Figure 2 the transporting position of the conveyor 110 is shown infull lines and the position for operation is shown in dotted lines.

The conveyor 110 is raised and lowered by a pair of upwardly andrearwardly inclined link rods 120, best seen in Figure 2, each of therods has its lower end pivotally attached to one side of the conveyor110 and its upper end pivotally attached to an upwardly and forwardlyextending leg 122 of a bellcrank 124.

Each of the bellcranks 124 is rigidly mounted at one end of a shaft 126,the latter being journaled at the upper forward end of the frame 32. Oneof the bellcranks 124 is provided with a downwardly and rearwardlyextending leg 128 that is integral with the leg 122.

Each of a pair of rearwardly extending coiled springs 123 have one endsecured to the leg 122 and the other to the top of the frame 32, and thesprings 123 balance rlnlcst of the weight of the forward end of theconveyors A vertically disposed link rod 130 has its upper end pivotallyattached to the leg 128, and its lower end pivotally attached to theforward end 132 of a forwardly extending lever 133, the rearward end ofwhich latter is mounted on a transversely disposed shaft 134.

The shaft 134 has its ends journaled in bearing brackets 136, whichlatter are welded or otherwise secured to the axle 28.

One of the brackets 136 is disposed adjacent to the baler frame 32, andthe other is disposed adjacent to the inner side of the bracket 26 onthe end 40 of the axle 28.

An elongated forwardly extending link rod 142 has its rearward endpivotally attached to the upper end of the lever and its forward endpivotally attached near the bottom of a conveyor lift lever 144. Thelever 144 has its lower end pivotally attached to a bracket and extendsupwardly therefrom.

The bracket 150 is secured near the forward end of the member 10 bybolts 152, and extends to one side thereof in the direction of themember 12. A lever quadrant 154 has each of its lower ends attached tothe side of the member 10 on opposite sides of the bracket 150, theoutline of the quadrant 154 being an arc having the bracket 150 as acenter.

The quadrant 154 is provided with a plurality of teeth 156 cut into theupper arcuate surface thereof to engage the lower end of a pawl 158, thelatter being in the form of an elongated rod having its upper endpivotally attached to a transversely disposed lever handle 160, thelatter being pivotally mounted to the upper end of the lever 144.

As thus described, forward and rearward motions of the lift lever 144will cause the conveyor 110 to be raised and lowered.

The invention is further provided with the before mentioned inclinedlydisposed frame brace 13 best seen in Figures 2 and 3; the brace 13 beingpreferably of tubular pipe, having its lower end secured by a bolt 202between a pair of rectangularly shaped brackets 204.

The brackets 204 are welded or otherwise secured to he sides of themember 70 and extend upwardly thererom.

As best seen in Figure 3, the upper and rearward end of the brace 13 hasa short portion bent to a horizontal position, and its most rearward end208 flattened.

The flattened end 208 is pivotally attached to an upper forward member210 of the frame 32 at a position directly above the rearward end of themember 70 by a bolt 212 for rotation therewith.

It will be understood that the pivot bolt 212 should be approximatelydirectly above and aligned with the pivot bolt 20 of the telescopingmember 70, but that certain misalignment is permissible because of thelong length of the brace 13 and telescoping assembly 12 yet stillaffording approximately horizontal swinging.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that anadjustable tongue constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will alsobe obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change andmodification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof,and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

l claim:

l. A towing tongue assembly for a rotary baler comprising: an elongatedlongitudinal member pivotally attached at its rearward end to the axleof said baler at one end of said baler axle for pivotal movement in ahorizontal plane; outer and inner telescoping members having adjustablecombined effective length, said inner member having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced apertures therethrough, said outer member havingan aperture therethrough registerable with any selected one of saidinner member apertures; an upwardly extending annular pin-holding memberhaving its lower end attached to said outer member and opening onto itssaid aperture, said annular member being of large inner diameter at itslower end than said outer member aperture; a pin in said annular membersupportable at times on said outer member adjacent said outer memberaperture and disposable at other times through said .outer memberaperture and through a selected one of said inner member apertures, oneof said telescoping members having a rearward end pivotally attached tosaid baler axle at a point adjacent the center of said axle, the otherof said telescoping members having a forward end pivotally attached tosaid longitudinal member for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane; andmeans for attaching the forward end of said longitudinal member to atowing vehicle.

2. A towing tongue assembly for a rotary baler having a framecomprising: an elongated longitudinal member pivotally attached at itsrearward end to the axle of said baler at one end of said baler axle forpivotal movement in a horizontal plane; two telescoping members havingadjustable combined effective length, one of said telescoping membershaving a rearward end pivotally attached to said baler axle at a pointadjacent the center of said axle, the other of said telescoping membershaving a forward end pivotally attached to said longitudinal member forpivotal movement in a horizontal plane; means for locking saidtelescoping members together in any one of a plurality of positions tovary said combined effective length for variable adjustment of theposition of the forward end of said longitudinal member with respect tosaid baler; and a brace member extending from the forward end of saidone telescoping member upwardly and rearwardly, the rearward end of saidbrace being pivotally secured to said baler frame approximately directlyabove the pivotally attached rearward end of said one telescopingmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 794,850 Bryan July 18, 1905 1,408,672 Wills Mar. 7, 19221,906,606 Hyman May 2, 1933 2,457,745 Suess Dec. 28, 1948

